WHETHER you?re buying art for keeps or for profit, for collection or for investment, it?s always best to know and understand not only what you?re getting, but also what you?re getting into.

Many people consider art pieces as investment, but artist-couple Noell El Farol and Mervy Pueblo advise anyone contemplating such a venture to look beyond the business of it.

The two are noted sculptors who are passionate in merging their interests in arts and sciences. Both are into rock sculpture and a bit of painting, and have held joint exhibitions in Japan, Russia, and Vietnam.

El Farol is completing his Master?s in Archaeology at the University of the Philippines and was recently awarded the Metrobank Prize for Achievement in Sculpture for his lifetime body of work.
Pueblo, a graduate of St. Scholastica?s College Manila with a Bachelor?s degree in Fine Arts major in Visual Communications, is into soft sculpture mixing fabrics and metal. She has a fascination for biology, as evidenced by her previous works such as ?Fertile Breeding Ground 1 & 2? and ?Virus Attitude.?

Pueblo stresses that more than the monetary value of the art works, what is crucial for a starting collector is ?believing in the creativity, ingenuity and the potential of the artist.?

El Farol, on the other hand, gives a more practical advice to novice art collectors. ?Yes, art acquisition is an investment, so it is better to understand what is collectible and valuable in the future and not what is presently popular to other collectors.?

But he is also quick to note that he does not, strictly speaking, consider himself an art collector. ?I do not purchase nor collect any art work. I have works of other artists, most of them acquired by swapping with my artist-friends in Japan and in Europe.?

For art enthusiasts determined to jumpstart a new chapter of their lives as art collectors, here are the consolidated tips from the two sculptors:

1. Start with an understanding of the art scene and the different media used, before concentrating on the one medium that piques and holds your interest the most.

2. Once you have decided on the medium to which you are drawn, find out more about it and about the artist/s who make use of that medium. Keep abreast of their progress, studying and appreciating their concept and body of work.

3. Read reviews, visit galleries, talk with the artists and check feedback when attending an exhibition.

4. Create your collection according to medium, theme or subject or rare pieces of works. Deepen your appreciation of art by trying to look beyond form and trend.

5. Start with an affordable piece of work (according to your actual budget) but of an artist with great potential. It may also help if you acquire small works as initial pieces of the collection. For sculpture, small pieces are usually priced from P40,000 says El Farol.

6. If you?re just starting, consider material that is easy to maintain.

7. Document your collection. Always ask for documents supporting the authenticity of the work.

8. To be safe and assured of authenticity, it is better to purchase art pieces from reputable galleries. Some galleries regularly feature up-and-coming artists with great potential.

Pueblo believes, however, that while tips help, it really should depend on what the collector wants and understands.

Sculptures may not be as popular as paintings in terms of aspired-for acquisitions or collection pieces, she notes, but they do make good investments because of the diversity of the medium, such as wood, glass, metal, rock, granite, and marble.

?I think that the prestige and resiliency of the medium of a sculpture piece is an important consideration. However, the bottom line is that a great work of art is always a good choice, no matter what medium was used.? ?

The works of Noell El Farol and Mervy Pueblo are featured in the exhibit ?Beyond Identification? until November 15 at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts gallery, General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila.